The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Series is a category in the Primetime Emmy Awards. It is awarded annually to the best variety show or similarly formatted program of the year. The award is sometimes known by other names, such as “Outstanding Comedy-Variety or Music Program” and “Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Series.” History From 1979 to 1989 and in 1991, variety series and specials competed together. Single programs dominated as winners during this time until the Outstanding Variety Special category was formed. Since 1994, all of the winners in this category have been late-night talk shows, except in 1997. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart won the award for ten years consecutively (2003–2012), the longest winning streak for a television show in Primetime Emmy Award history. In 2015, this category was separated into two categories – Outstanding Variety Sketch Series and Outstanding Talk Series. Winners and nominations 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s {| class="wikitable" style="width:100%" |- bgcolor="#bebebe" ! width="5%" | Year ! width="20%" | Program ! width="70%" | Producers ! width="5%" | Network |- ! colspan="4" | Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Program |- | rowspan=6" style="text-align:center" | 1980(32nd) |- style="background:#FAEB86" | Baryshnikov on Broadway | Herman Krawitz (executive producer), Gary Smith (producer), Dwight Hemion (producer), Mikhail Baryshnikov (star) | ABC |- | The Benny Hill Show | Philip Jones (executive producer), Keith Beckett (producer), David Bell (producer), Ronald Fouracre (producer), Peter Frazer-Jones (producer), Dennis Kirkland (producer), John Robins (producer), Mark Stuart (producer), Benny Hill (star) | rowspan=2| Syndicated |- | The Muppet Show | David Lazer (executive producer), Jim Henson (producer/performer), Dave Goelz (performer), Louise Gold (performer), Richard Hunt (performer), Kathryn Mullen (performer), Jerry Nelson (performer), Frank Oz (performer), Steve Whitmire (performer) |- | Goldie and Liza Together | George Schlatter (executive producer), Don Mischer (producer), Fred Ebb (producer), Goldie Hawn (star), Liza Minnelli (star) | rowspan=2| CBS |- | Shirley MacLaine... 'Every Little Movement''' | Gary Smith (producer), Dwight Hemion (producer), Shirley MacLaine (star) |- | rowspan=6" style="text-align:center" | 1981(33rd) |- style="background:#FAEB86" | Lily: Sold Out| Lily Tomlin (executive producer/star), Jane Wagner (executive producer), Rocco Urbisci (producer) | CBS |- | The Benny Hill Show| John Robins (producer), Dennis Kirkland (producer), Mark Stuart (producer), Keith Beckett (producer), Benny Hill (star) | rowspan=2| Syndicated |- | The Muppet Show| David Lazer (executive producer), Jim Henson (producer/performer), Frank Oz (performer), Jerry Nelson (performer), Richard Hunt (performer), Dave Goelz (performer),